Grilled Sweet Corn with Orange Harissa Butter

 Traditionally used as a flavoring for couscous and a rub for meats, harissa is most commonly found in Tunisia and the Saharan desert region where its flavor is prized for adding oomph to stews.


Lo happened upon her first taste of this delicious condiment during a trip to Tunisia, where the locals ate the peppery paste spread simply atop slices of crusty fresh French bread. 


It took her years to stumble upon one of the best flavor pairings ever -- harissa and orange (see our Orange and harissa roasted chicken recipe). But, once she discovered it, we couldn't get enough.

The sweet acidity of orange juice marries incredibly with the smoky, rich flavor of the harissa, and even (dare we say?) tames its sharp heat into something quite manageable.

During the winter, this flavor combination is a delicious flavoring for crisp, comforting roasted chicken.  It's also a great combination to complement simple vegetables. But, we love it equally as much captured in a delicious compound butter that’s perfect for summer grilling.


Try the butter over a flaky filet of grilled fish.
Experiment with it as a delicious finish for your next steak.
Spread leftover butter on bread for a different take on ordinary grilled cheese.

Or do as this delicious recipe suggests and spread a generous pat of that smoky, citrusy butter atop a cob of succulently sweet grilled summer corn. You won’t be sorry.

Grilled Sweet Corn with Orange Harissa Butter

©BURP! Where Food Happens

A New Way with Corn on the Cob

Ah, corn on the cob... and all the mixed feelings it stirs within my loins by the end of August!

Don't get me wrong. I think sweet summer corn is one of the best things around. And I'm a firm believer in getting as much of something as I possibly can while it's in season. But, I have to admit that I grow tired of eating corn the same old way, week after week, in the heat of summer.
So, we try to find ways to change it up a bit.
When the first corn on the cob is available, we grab three or four ears at a time and make it into a meal. We grill it. And when we tire of grilling it, we steam it. When steaming it grows old, we cut it off the cob and throw it into our pasta. And our rice. And our eggs. And when we tire of doing that... we bake it.

Yup. Baked corn.
Can't beat it.

First, you need some primo corn on the cob. Shuck it and make it all pretty.
Then, you need some nice fresh bread crumbs.
And a bit of mayonnaise spiked with some lime juice, a bit of salt, a couple of cloves of garlic, and a few finely chopped jalapenos (the only requisite here is the mayo... so experiment away!).
You want to slather some of that mayonnaise right on each of the cobs. Get it all over -- into the grooves and right up to the edges of the cob.
Then, roll the mayo-covered cobs into the breadcrumbs.
Bake these lovely specimens at 375º for about 35-40 minutes, and you have yourself a tasty treat that will take the doldrums right out of corn season.

Trust me.


©BURP! Where Food Happens